Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is looking to visit India soon

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is looking to visit India soon. 

Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, is slated to visit India, which will occur amid global geopolitical instability following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

The visit will be Russia’s first high-level visit to India since the invasion began on February 24th. 

Many topics will be discussed, including trading under the rupee-ruble mechanism, which the Indian finance ministry is investigating in the wake of Western sanctions against Russia.

As the West and Russia lock horns, the invasion has altered the global geopolitical arithmetic. Both parties have been in contact with New Delhi on the situation, and it has demonstrated its strategic autonomy. 

India has abstained from voting on Ukraine-Russia resolutions at the United Nations, whether they were backed by the West or, more recently, by Russia, even as it has called for direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv. 

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“We have expressed great concern about the escalating situation and called for an urgent suspension of violence and end all hostilities,” said Jaishankar in Parliament.

Both the Indian and Russian foreign ministers spoke on February 24th. There has been a Russian outreach to Delhi in various ways since then. 

It includes Russian FM Lavrov meeting BRICS envoys, including Indian envoy Pavan Kapoor. 

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko met with the Indian Ambassador to Russia Kapoor last week to inform him of Ukraine’s situation. 

It’s worth noting that Rudenko was part of the Russian group that met with Ukraine officials.

PM Modi is set to visit Russia later this year for the annual India-Russia summit. 

On December 6th, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Delhi for the annual meeting. 

This year, Russia will host the second 2+2 foreign and defense ministers meeting, for which Indian external affairs and defense ministries will go to the country. 

The Russian foreign minister’s scheduled visit coincides with a 2+2 foreign and defense ministers meeting between India and the United States in the second week of April.